The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1887-07-14
FARM RoARoING.HousEs.
Suggestions for Farmers Who Intend 4 an
ing Summer Boarders.

Suggestions for Farmers Who Intend K an
ing Summer Boarders.
As profits on farms decrease. II :,
natural that farmers should look abou
for some new source of reven de. Liyine
expenses. taxes and repairs are COD
slant. The money must come from
somewhere. The plan of keeping ,
few summer boarders is a favorite or,
with many farmers, 1t NAV be tina
some readers will go into the bushes.
this year for the first time. l har,
had some twelve years experience ii
this work and know there is much to bt
learned in it. 1t is business that i:
quite expensive at starting. even in &
small way. If not successful, it will
often bury the farmer in the pit he is
trying to escape from. 1t is a basines.
that NAV we'll be discussed-itis legit.
innate branch of farming. Talking it
over will help both the farmer and the
people who visit the farm in search o.
health and rest. The farmer mus
remember that people coming from the
city leave many comforts that can moi
be had in the country. In exchange
for these they expect to have thing:
which they can not procure in the
city. They wasn't pure air and water
uncontaminated with foul smell or
taste. They expect TO be made COM
Portable and to have their food Gf
piain) well cooked; also good beds and
good-siZed, cOmfortib rooms.
Many seem to think city people ex-
pect to rough it. This may answer on
trip of a day or two, but for a three
months stay we must make them COM
Portable if we expect them to spend
another summer at the farm.
VIII it not be we'll for us to look
around the house and farm little be-
fore the season commences? Is the
well above the suspicion of getting
drainage from barn or house surround
ingsc Do you get the water from a
spring? If so, are the cattle entirely
away from it in winter as well as sum-
mer? Avoid blowing near it so that
there may be no wash from the plowed
ground.
How about the drainage? Do we
throw the slops out the back door? We
must stop that and build drain which
will carry these things we'll away from
The house. And the MISUNDERSTANDING
they convenient to reach in rainy
weather, and are they kept in a whole
some condition.? Remember this is very
important. and that earth is cheap and
thorough deodorizer and disinfectant if
used every day.
Now let us look around inside the
house. Have You a clOthes-clOset in
each room? If not, put in wardrobe.
so that boarders may have 81 place in
which to hang up their clothes out Of
the way of the dust, and a chance to
make the room neat and presentable.
We must remember their room is the
only place they can call home while in
the country. 1t is not necessary that
the furniture should be expensive; but
put a good, comfortable mattress on
the bed, and let every thing, not only
in the sleeping rooms. but the whole
house, be kept scrupulously clean and
neat Let the table be literally sup
piled with fresh vegetables Well cooked.
See that your bread is not sour or heavy,
and if you do not have many varieties,
let those you do have be well cooked.
Give boarders plenty of milk if they
wish it. Don't charge extra if they
want milk dozen times dav. This
is one of the comforts many appre-
ciate on the farm. Charge enough
for board so YOU can give your guests
all they can eat and drink and then
make them feel they are welcome to
any thing the farm affords, and that
they are to feel at home. Do not adj
vertisc free rides and expect to carry
your guests all over the country free.
1t is loss to the farmer and, if the
guest is person of any independence,
after you have taken your team from
the field at his request and refused any
he will not feel like ask
ing YOU second time, no matter how
much he would like to ride Thus he
depriyes himself of a pleasure that
would have been 4 profit to you. 1t is
these little things that often fill your
house the second season if regarded. or
leave it empty if disregarded. We
must remember that people can not he
expected to come second season where
they were not comfortable or where they
considered their health in danger; nei-
Their will they send their friends, but
will warn them not to visit your farm.
-EnanOns Pond, en- Rural NelC Yorker.